The House Appropriations Committee voted 15 to 8 today to approve a large overhaul of how tax revenue from legal marijuana sales is handled.

Montana House Bill 669 was filed by State Representative Bill Mercer. It would move marijuana tax revenues out of programs dedicated to wildlife habitat, state parks, trails and recreational facilities and instead put them into the state’s General Fund. Now that it’s been passed through appropriations it moves towards a vote by the full House of Representatives.

Under current law after $6 million is put aside for the HEART account (designed to help end addiction through recovery and treatment), marijuana tax revenue is split as follows:

• 20% to the credit of the department of fish, wildlife and parks for wildlife habitat
• 4% to the state park account
• 4% to the trails and recreational facilities account
• 4% to the nongame wildlife account
• 3% or $200,000, which is less, to the veterans and surviving spouses state special revenue account
• $150,000 to the board of crime control

Under House Bill 669 the $6 million would still be distribute to the HEART account, but all remaining funds would go to the General Fund. This would give Montana lawmakers much more control over how revenue is distributed.

The text of House Bill 669 can be found if you click here.